A computer system that implements conventional server architecture typically includes a chassis, a motherboard mounted to the chassis, and one or more front-loading bays mounted to the chassis. The motherboard can have one or more processor sockets coupled thereto for receiving one or more processors, respectively, as well as one or more daughterboard connectors for receiving one or more mezzanine or riser boards, respectively. In such a computer system, the front-loading bays are typically configured to receive mass storage devices that can include magnetic media (e.g., hard disc drives), optical media (e.g., compact disc (CD) drives, digital video disc (DVD) drives), etc. Such mass storage devices may conform to an industry standard form factor, and may be configured to be “hot-swappable”, which means that the mass storage devices can be removed from and installed into the respective front-loading bays without powering-down the computer system. The mezzanine or riser boards are typically configured to include one or more memory modules, such as one or more dynamic random access memory (DRAM)-based dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs), portions of which may be allocated as system memory as well as cache memory.
In such a computer system implementing conventional server architecture, in order to service one or more failed components on the mezzanine or riser boards, such as one or more failed DIMMs or other memory components, it is generally necessary to power-down the computer system and open the chassis to access and/or replace the failed memory components. However, such servicing of memory components in a computer system, even if infrequent, can prove to be time consuming, complicated, and expensive.